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(11)

EP 2 007 675 A2

(12)

(88) Date of publication A3: 01.11.2007 (43) Date of publication: 31.12.2008 Bulletin 2009/01 (21) Application number: 07726967.8 (22) Date of filing: 15.03.2007

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):  C01B 31/02(2006.01) B01J 20/282(2006.01) B01J 27/02(2006.01) B01J 23/42(2006.01) B01J 20/20(2006.01) B01J 21/18(2006.01) C10B 53/02(2006.01) B01J 31/04(2006.01) (86) International application number: PCT/EP2007/052482 (87) International publication number: WO 2007/104798 (20.09.2007 Gazette 2007/38)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR Designated Extension States: AL BA HR MK RS (30) Priority: 15.03.2006 GB 0605195 28.04.2006 GB 0608438 (71) Applicant: University of York York YO10 5DD (GB)

(72) Inventors: BUDARIN, Vitaliy York Yorkshire YO10 4BN (GB) CLARK, James Hanley York Yorkshire YO10 3HW (GB) LUQUE, Rafael York Yorkshire YO31 7ES (GB) MACQUARRIE, Duncan James York Yorkshire YO24 1JW (GB) MILKOWSKI, Krzysztof York Yorkshire YO10 3SF (GB) WHITE, Robin Jeremy York Yorkshire YO10 3UD (GB) (74) Representative: Sanderson, Nigel Paul  Harrison Goddard Foote 106 Micklegate York Y01 6JX 106 Micklegate York Y01 6JX (GB)